MELVILLE, N.Y. (June 14, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the addition of two new lenses to the legendary NIKKOR lineup, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lenses. The new 18-300mm VR lens is a versatile and compact 16.7X all-in-one super zoom DX-format lens, while the new 24-85mm VR lens is an ideal standard zoom for any FX-format photographer. These optics were designed to meet the needs of all types of photographers, from those looking to capture everything from family outings to elusive wildlife and stunning landscapes. The new 18-300mm and 24-85mm lenses deliver the performance and superior image quality that photographers of all levels have come to expect from NIKKOR lenses whether capturing still images or HD videos.To capture stunningly sharp images with excellent clarity and color reproduction or HD video that exhibits sharp critical focus with a dramatic depth of field, the new 18-300mm VR and 24-85mm VR lenses will empower photographers with a variety of exclusive core NIKKOR technologies. Both lenses are equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) II image stabilization system which provides the equivalent of a shutter speed approximately four stops faster. The built-in Vibration Reduction will help photographers create blur-free images and video while shooting handheld and in challenging lighting conditions. Two focus modes, manual-priority autofocus (M/A) and manual focus (M), are easily selected in both lenses as well. When either lens is in manual-priority autofocus (M/A) mode, users will be able to instantly switch from autofocus to manual focus operation by simply rotating the focus ring, even during AF servo operation. Additionally, both lenses feature an internal focusing system, providing fast focus without changing the length of the lens while retaining working distance through the focus range, and Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology designed to deliver fast, accurate and quiet AF performance. The lenses also boast Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating (SIC) which provides superb color reproduction, color consistency and reduced flaring.“Whether a pro on assignment, a photo enthusiast or an indie cinematographer, all Nikon users appreciate and rely on the vast selection and reliability of NIKKOR lenses for all of their imaging needs,” said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. “The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm VR and AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm VR lenses are fully optimized to capture stunning images and videos while meeting the growing needs of photographers of all levels around the world.”The NIKKOR 18-300mm VR Lens: Nikon’s Longest Focal Range

Building on the popularity and versatility of Nikon’s telephoto zoom lens lineup which includes both the NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lenses, the new 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is Nikon’s longest focal range ever, with an astounding 16.7X ultrahigh-ratio zoom range. The DX-format 18-300mm VR lens is surprisingly compact, lightweight and covers a focal range from wide-angle 18mm to super-telephoto 300mm, equivalent to a focal length of 27mm to 450mm in FX/35mm format. At the 300mm focal length setting, the lens’ large f/5.6 aperture enables photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds with shallow depth-of-field. This new super telephoto zoom lens is ideal for taking stills when travelling and for all around general photography including landscapes, portraits and distant subjects. The 18-300mm lens is also excellent for recording HD video as it can be used for wide establishing shots, medium close-up shots and extreme telephoto sequences when the users want to separate the subject from the background.The construction of the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens consists of 19 optical elements in 14 groups with three Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements that effectively minimize chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings, and three aspherical lens elements that virtually eliminate aberrations at wide aperture settings. The new lens also incorporates a nine rounded blade diaphragm to help achieve a natural looking dramatic separation between subject and background.The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a dedicated zoom lock switch which secures the lens barrel at its minimum length and will prevent the lens from sliding during transportation. Additionally, the 18-300mm VR lens is ideal for capturing close-ups with great detail, as it offers a 1.48 ft. minimum focusing distance at 300mm, as well as a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2X.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will be available at the end of June 2012 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $999.95*. The AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens will also be available at the end of June 2012 and will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $599.95*. For more information on these new NIKKOR lenses and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

All kids remember being nagged by mom or dad to make their beds. Even as grownups, making the bed is still an annoying chore -- especially one that needs to be done again 12 hours later. But Spanish furniture maker OHEA is trying to ease the tedium. Behold the OHEA Smart Bed, a bed from the future that makes itself.

In 50 seconds, the bed's mechanical arm, equipped with two rollers, guides a blanket up to the head of the bed. Simultaneously, the pillows are lifted by cords so that the blanket can be fully stretched. Once the blanket is tucked in, the pillows will drop back down, leaving your bed freshly made and presentable. The bed also has a safety feature built in to ensure that it can’t be activated while a person is in the bed. A switch on the bed frame offers manual and automatic settings, the latter of which understands when the bed is empty, causing the bed making to commence after three seconds. For now, OHEA's website lists the Smart Bed as "soon on sale" and does not indicate how much it may cost.

OHEA's video demonstration shows the Smart Bed in action, but also reveals some potential drawbacks and limitations. For one, it seems that in order for the bed to make itself, users will need to be a relatively tidy sleepers. The video also does not indicate if extra or heavier covers and sheets could be added. Still, for generations of grown-up kids who still hate making their beds, this is a good first step to ending the universal morning chore.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (June 14, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the addition of two new lenses to the legendary NIKKOR lineup, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lenses. The new 18-300mm VR lens is a versatile and compact 16.7X all-in-one super zoom DX-format lens, while the new 24-85mm VR lens is an ideal standard zoom for any FX-format photographer. These optics were designed to meet the needs of all types of photographers, from those looking to capture everything from family outings to elusive wildlife and stunning landscapes. The new 18-300mm and 24-85mm lenses deliver the performance and superior image quality that photographers of all levels have come to expect from NIKKOR lenses whether capturing still images or HD videos.

To capture stunningly sharp images with excellent clarity and color reproduction or HD video that exhibits sharp critical focus with a dramatic depth of field, the new 18-300mm VR and 24-85mm VR lenses will empower photographers with a variety of exclusive core NIKKOR technologies. Both lenses are equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) II image stabilization system which provides the equivalent of a shutter speed approximately four stops faster. The built-in

Vibration Reduction will help photographers create blur-free images and video while shooting handheld and in challenging lighting conditions. Two focus modes, manual-priority autofocus (M/A) and manual focus (M), are easily selected in both lenses as well. When either lens is in manual-priority autofocus (M/A) mode, users will be able to instantly switch from autofocus to manual focus operation by simply rotating the focus ring, even during AF servo operation. Additionally, both lenses feature an internal focusing system, providing fast focus without changing the length of the lens while retaining working distance through the focus range, and Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology designed to deliver fast, accurate and quiet AF performance. The lenses also boast Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating (SIC) which provides superb color reproduction, color consistency and reduced flaring.

“Whether a pro on assignment, a photo enthusiast or an indie cinematographer, all Nikon users appreciate and rely on the vast selection and reliability of NIKKOR lenses for all of their imaging needs,” said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. “The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm VR and AF-S

NIKKOR 24-85mm VR lenses are fully optimized to capture stunning images and videos while meeting the growing needs of photographers of all levels around the world.”

The NIKKOR 18-300mm VR Lens: Nikon’s Longest Focal Range

Building on the popularity and versatility of Nikon’s telephoto zoom lens lineup which includes both the NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lenses, the new 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is Nikon’s longest focal range ever, with an astounding 16.7X ultrahigh-ratio zoom range. The DX-format 18-300mm VR lens is surprisingly compact, lightweight and covers a focal range from wide-angle 18mm to super-telephoto 300mm, equivalent to a focal length of 27mm to 450mm in FX/35mm format. At the 300mm focal length setting, the lens’ large f/5.6 aperture enables photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds with shallow depth-of-field. This new super telephoto zoom lens is ideal for taking stills when travelling and for all around general photography including landscapes, portraits and distant subjects. The 18-300mm lens is also excellent for recording HD video as it can be used for wide establishing shots, medium close-up shots and extreme telephoto sequences when the users want to separate the subject from the background.

The construction of the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens consists of 19 optical elements in 14 groups with three Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements that effectively minimize chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings, and three aspherical lens elements that virtually eliminate aberrations at wide aperture settings. The new lens also incorporates a nine rounded blade diaphragm to help achieve a natural looking dramatic separation between subject and background.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a dedicated zoom lock switch which secures the lens barrel at its minimum length and will prevent the lens from sliding during transportation. Additionally, the 18-300mm VR lens is ideal for capturing close-ups with great detail, as it offers a 1.48 ft. minimum focusing distance at 300mm, as well as a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2X.

The NIKKOR 24-85mm VR Lens: The Standard Zoom for FX Shooters

Ideal for photographers seeking an FX-format compatible standard zoom lens, the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens delivers sharp, crisp and high-quality images and can be assigned as an everyday walkabout lens. Covering the frequently used focal-length range of 24mm to 85mm, this lens is a great companion for any FX-format shooter and is ideal for shooting stills of landscapes, architecture, head and shoulder portraits, candid shots or group shots. For HD video shooters, the 24-85mm VR lens is a natural choice when filming landscapes, large groups of people or when wide field establishing shots or medium close-ups are needed. The 24-85mm lens is a great everyday lens that is compact, lightweight and easy to carry on any photo assignment or family adventure.

In addition to the lens’ built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens features Auto Tripod detection which recognizes when the camera is mounted on a tripod, even during HD video recording, to help deliver specialized VR correction. The lens construction of the 24-85mm VR lens consists of 16 optical elements in 11 groups with one Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass element, three aspherical lens elements and a seven rounded blade diaphragm.

Price and Availability

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will be available at the end of June 2012 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $999.95*. The AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens will also be available at the end of June 2012 and will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $599.95*. For more information on these new NIKKOR lenses and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (June 14, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the addition of two new lenses to the legendary NIKKOR lineup, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lenses. The new 18-300mm VR lens is a versatile and compact 16.7X all-in-one super zoom DX-format lens, while the new 24-85mm VR lens is an ideal standard zoom for any FX-format photographer. These optics were designed to meet the needs of all types of photographers, from those looking to capture everything from family outings to elusive wildlife and stunning landscapes. The new 18-300mm and 24-85mm lenses deliver the performance and superior image quality that photographers of all levels have come to expect from NIKKOR lenses whether capturing still images or HD videos.

To capture stunningly sharp images with excellent clarity and color reproduction or HD video that exhibits sharp critical focus with a dramatic depth of field, the new 18-300mm VR and 24-85mm VR lenses will empower photographers with a variety of exclusive core NIKKOR technologies. Both lenses are equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) II image stabilization system which provides the equivalent of a shutter speed approximately four stops faster. The built-in

Vibration Reduction will help photographers create blur-free images and video while shooting handheld and in challenging lighting conditions. Two focus modes, manual-priority autofocus (M/A) and manual focus (M), are easily selected in both lenses as well. When either lens is in manual-priority autofocus (M/A) mode, users will be able to instantly switch from autofocus to manual focus operation by simply rotating the focus ring, even during AF servo operation. Additionally, both lenses feature an internal focusing system, providing fast focus without changing the length of the lens while retaining working distance through the focus range, and Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology designed to deliver fast, accurate and quiet AF performance. The lenses also boast Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating (SIC) which provides superb color reproduction, color consistency and reduced flaring.

“Whether a pro on assignment, a photo enthusiast or an indie cinematographer, all Nikon users appreciate and rely on the vast selection and reliability of NIKKOR lenses for all of their imaging needs,” said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing, Nikon Inc. “The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm VR and AF-S
NIKKOR 24-85mm VR lenses are fully optimized to capture stunning images and videos while meeting the growing needs of photographers of all levels around the world.”

The NIKKOR 18-300mm VR Lens: Nikon’s Longest Focal Range

Building on the popularity and versatility of Nikon’s telephoto zoom lens lineup which includes both the NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lenses, the new 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is Nikon’s longest focal range ever, with an astounding 16.7X ultrahigh-ratio zoom range. The DX-format 18-300mm VR lens is surprisingly compact, lightweight and covers a focal range from wide-angle 18mm to super-telephoto 300mm, equivalent to a focal length of 27mm to 450mm in FX/35mm format. At the 300mm focal length setting, the lens’ large f/5.6 aperture enables photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds with shallow depth-of-field. This new super telephoto zoom lens is ideal for taking stills when travelling and for all around general photography including landscapes, portraits and distant subjects. The 18-300mm lens is also excellent for recording HD video as it can be used for wide establishing shots, medium close-up shots and extreme telephoto sequences when the users want to separate the subject from the background.

The construction of the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens consists of 19 optical elements in 14 groups with three Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements that effectively minimize chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings, and three aspherical lens elements that virtually eliminate aberrations at wide aperture settings. The new lens also incorporates a nine rounded blade diaphragm to help achieve a natural looking dramatic separation between subject and background.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a dedicated zoom lock switch which secures the lens barrel at its minimum length and will prevent the lens from sliding during transportation. Additionally, the 18-300mm VR lens is ideal for capturing close-ups with great detail, as it offers a 1.48 ft. minimum focusing distance at 300mm, as well as a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2X.

The NIKKOR 24-85mm VR Lens: The Standard Zoom for FX Shooters

Ideal for photographers seeking an FX-format compatible standard zoom lens, the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens delivers sharp, crisp and high-quality images and can be assigned as an everyday walkabout lens. Covering the frequently used focal-length range of 24mm to 85mm, this lens is a great companion for any FX-format shooter and is ideal for shooting stills of landscapes, architecture, head and shoulder portraits, candid shots or group shots. For HD video shooters, the 24-85mm VR lens is a natural choice when filming landscapes, large groups of people or when wide field establishing shots or medium close-ups are needed. The 24-85mm lens is a great everyday lens that is compact, lightweight and easy to carry on any photo assignment or family adventure.

In addition to the lens’ built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens features Auto Tripod detection which recognizes when the camera is mounted on a tripod, even during HD video recording, to help deliver specialized VR correction. The lens construction of the 24-85mm VR lens consists of 16 optical elements in 11 groups with one Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass element, three aspherical lens elements and a seven rounded blade diaphragm.

Price and Availability

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will be available at the end of June 2012 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $999.95*. The AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens will also be available at the end of June 2012 and will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $599.95*. For more information on these new NIKKOR lenses and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

My recent column, 8 Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses, drew a flood of responses. But there’s one thing I didn’t mention: An extraordinary boss communicates his expectations clearly to his team. That way, everyone understands what it will take to make your company succeed.

With that in mind: If you are the boss, you’ll want to share this column with your team, because it will make your job a heck of a lot easier. And if by chance you’re not the boss, memorize this column–because it contains the key to long-term success.

Here are the rules for keeping your boss happy:

1. Be true to your word.

Your boss wants to trust you. Really. Therefore, whenever you accept an assignment, follow through religiously, even fanatically. Do what you say you’re going to do. Never overcommit, and avoid hedging your bets with vague statements like “I’ll try” and “maybe.” Instead, make your word carry real weight.

2. No surprises, ever.

The secret fear of every boss is that employees are screwing up but are not saying anything about it. So even if you’re afraid some bad news might upset your boss, make sure he’s informed. Note: If your boss consistently “shoots the messenger,” you can ignore this rule–because his behavior shows he doesn’t really want to be in the know.

3. Be prepared on the details.

Your boss wants to believe you’re competent and on top of things. That’s why she sometimes picks an aspect of your job and begins randomly asking penetrating questions. Therefore, whenever you’re meeting with the boss, have the details ready so you can answer these queries with grace and aplomb.

4. Take your job seriously.

Bosses appreciate individuals who truly care about what they do and willing to take the time to achieve a deep understanding of their craft. Bosses need people who have unique expertise. You don’t have to be a pro at everything, but you should definitely have a specific area of knowledge that your boss values.

5. Have your boss’s back.

When you see your boss about to make a foolish decision, it’s your responsibility to attempt to convince him to make a different one. Make your best case, and express yourself clearly. However, once the decision is actually made, do your best to make it work–regardless of whether you think it was the right one.

6. Provide solutions, not complaints.

Complainers are the bane of your boss’s existence. Nothing is more irritating or more boring than listening to somebody kvetch about things that they’re not willing to change. So never bring up a problem unless you’ve got a solution to propose–or are willing to take the advice the boss gives you.

7. Communicate in plain language.

Bosses are busy people and have neither the time nor the inclination to wade through piles of biz-blab, jargon and weasel words. When dealing with your boss, speak and write in short sentences, use the fewest words possible to make a point, and make that point clear and easily understandable.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Last week,we mentionedthatVladik Rikhter used Google AdWordsto max out his Dropbox account with all the space he could get from referrals for a fraction of the cost required to upgrade his account by using Google AdWords. Many of you have already done the same, but some of you told us you didn't want to spend any money at all. Well, here's how to get an additional 8GB for free, using AdWords credits and smart keywords.

Each time you convince someone to sign up for Dropbox using your account as a referral, you're rewarded with additional storage space. If you use AdWords, Google's advertising service, you can get the word out to a lot more people about Dropbox—people who will click and sign up for Dropbox using your referral link. Buying advertising through AdWords costs money, but a number of you mentioned on our original post that you can get your ads for free by using AdWords credits, or vouchers that Google issues to new users or web site owners, while you rake in the referrals.

How Much Space You're Eligible For

Basic accounts (Free users)

can earn 8GB of space through referrals, for a total 10GBmaxed out. Each referral earns you 250MB of additional space.

Pro accounts

of all storage tiers can earn a total of 16GB of space through referrals, and earn 500MB per referral. Their accounts max out at their paid storage limit plus the 16GB referral bonus.

Students

just have to provide a .edu email address and their referral bonuses get boosted to 500MB each, and their referral cap is bumped up to 16GB, even if they have a free account.

Fill out the form with your name, email address, and web address. Use any web address you may have, even if it's a personal landing page at About.me orFlavors.me.

Sign In and Build Your Ads

Sign in to Google AdWords, and select Billing Preferences (under the Billing tab.)

Walk through the setup process and provide your location, address, and your credit card number (don't worry, you won't be charged.)

After your billing preferences are set up, you'll be returned to the Billing Summary page. Click "More Actions" to see the option to apply a promotional code to your account.

Paste in the promotional code Google (or your web host) sent you.

Click "Campaigns," and select "New Campaign."

Give the campaign a name. "Dropbox" will do.

Specify your locations and languages. When I created my ads, I went with "All Countries and Territories," and selected "English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish" as my languages.

Under Networks and Devices, leave "All available sites" and "All available devices" selected.

Under Bidding and Budget, set a budget for yourself of $20/day. This will keep your ad costs from running out of control.

Leave all of the remaining fields blank or set to their defaults, and click "Save and Continue."

A few commenters mentioned that Google shut down their account when they tried to do this. The only reason we could find for that is they may have tried to run too many ads (two or three is enough) or they tried to run ads with words in all caps or other attention-getting, spam-like terms and case in them. Be subtle with your ads and you won't run afoul of the AdWords terms-of-service.
Sit Back and Wait
Remember to Turn The Ads Off

The fastest way to see how much space you can get through referrals is to log in to your Dropbox account, click "Account," and then click the "Referral Status" tab. At the bottom of the page, you'll see how much space you're eligible to get through referrals only, and how much of it you've already obtained. If you're still not sure, here's the breakdown:

If you have access to a .edu email address, submit it to Dropbox before you get started - each referral will bring you twice as much space, and if you're a free user, you'll be able to score twice as much total space through referrals than you would otherwise.

When I signed up for an AdWords credit, I had one in my inbox in about an hour, but your mileage may vary.

Some domain registrars and web hosting companies like GoDaddy and Dreamhost often offer $100 AdWords credits to their customers. If you run out of credits or want more to play with, call your hosting company's customer service line to see if they can issue you an AdWords credit. Either way you go about it, once you have a credit code in your inbox, you're ready to roll.

Now we're going to put those AdWords credits to good use with your Dropbox referral link and some well-crafted ads.

Now your AdWords credit is applied, and you're ready to start building ads.

Now it's time to specify the text you want in your ads. Go back to your Dropbox account and copy your referral URL. Match the text to Vladik's post or my ads (shown here,) and paste your Dropbox referral link in the "Destination URL" field.

Since Vladik's post, there are a lot more people out there doing this than there were when he did it. That's where the CPC (Cost-Per-Click) comes in. A higher CPC gives Google a bigger incentive to show your ad over someone else's. Vladik suggests setting the CPC low, around $0.05, so each click doesn't cost him much money. That'll work, but a I recommend setting the CPC to auto, so your ads are more competitive. My CPC was automatically set to $0.94, and I added a number of additional keywords to give my ads a chance to stand out from the crowd. Not all of them performed well, but the variety definitely helped.

I ran three ads, and started with a handful of keywords. After the first day, Google suggested several additional keywords for my ads that would help get my ads noticed, and I accepted them all and added them to my list. Once your ads are built, set them to running and walk away.

When I ran my ads, it took the better part of a weekend (three days) to max out my referral bonuses. The ads came to a total of just over $60. That's less than I would have had to pay to upgrade my Basic account, but it's not exactly cheap. Luckily, I had $100 in AdWords credits to cover the expense.

I saw my first referrals start to roll in after a couple of minutes, but they seemed to come in groups: several would land at once, and then it would be quiet for several hours, and then more would roll in. When Vladik made his original post, almost no one was doing this, so he maxed out his referral bonuses inside of a day. It took me about three days to get 8GB worth of free space at 250MB per referral. Even though some of the heat is off now, it may still take you a few days to get where you want to be. That's okay though: you've budgeted $20/day for ads, and you should have a $75 AdWords credit ($100 if you're lucky or you had one lying around before we started,) and that should be enough to get you through. If you're worried it isn't, go back and set your CPC lower so each click won't cost you so much money. Keep an eye on how much you spend. If you use up your credit, Google will start billing your credit card immediately.

You can always log in to AdWords and track how well your ads are performing there, but make sure to also log in to your Dropbox account and check the Referral Status tab to see how many people are joining, how many of them have completed the process by installing Dropbox, and how far you have left to go to your referral cap. Don't go tweaking the ads-they'll work, you just have to give them time. Be patient, you'll get there.

When you do hit the referral cap, make sure to log in to your AdWords account and pause all of your ads as soon as possible. Don't leave them running: you're just costing yourself money, even if you're using an AdWords credit, and you're not getting a bonus from them. Don't delete them: once they're paused you won't be charged anymore. Pausing them means you'll be able to put them back into service later if you upgrade from a Basic account to a Pro account and want to use this trick again later, or if you get your hands on a .edu address and qualify for additional referral bonuses. Plus, if you have AdWords credits left over, you can save them for later.